Historical Timeline
The Shattered Isles have had a long and storied history even before their eponymic Shattering. Most things that have happened before that cataclysmic event have been reduced to generalised cultural memory and myth, but certain facts remain. And aside from those ancient days, the events that have transpired since then have been closely recorded. The shattering was such a consciousness-altering phenomenon, people very quickly began to define time by the number of years since it happened. Before the shattering there was no standardised point from which to measure time. Afterwards however, every year had a set and definite number attached to it, making history-keeping very easy. Years before the shattering are marked with B.S. for "before shattering" but years after the shattering are not marked, because it is widely understood that time is measured in years since the shattering. Outside of a ceremonial or poetic context, marking that years are measured since the shattering is seen as redundant. Timeline *'5000 B.S. (roughly) '''The Demigod Ashur Ramma becomes emperor of the Haketans, future emperors take on his name as their title. *'4750 B.S. (roughly)' Ashur Ramma dies, his divine blood becomes more and more dilute with every descendant until the title "God-King of Haketa'Dan" becomes purely ceremonial. *'3000 B.S. (roughly)' The great western Kingdom of the Dwarves succumbs to infighting and clan rivalry, splits into the kingdoms of Kodek, Sheod-Kan and Broannek. *'2750 B.S. (roughly)' The dwarven kingdom of Kodek succumbs to even further infighting and splinters into independant city-states. Broannek takes on an isolationist policy and hides its presence from humans, leading to many myths about the dwarves amoung northen human folklore. *'2550 B.S. (roughly)' The Humans of Saregnia, who shared land with the Kodekoi Cities, enjoy a technological flourishing thanks to trade with the more advanced dwarves. The Saregnian Golden age begins. *'2200 B.S. (roughly)' An ancient Eladrin named Haladrien appears in the dreams of thousands of humans and offers them perpetual happyness and power if they abandon their possesions and go to live in the wilderness. Those who take the offer find themselves meeting en masse beneath great trees filled with strange fruit. After eating the fruit they fell asleep, and awoke as the first elves. The elves began to differentiate themselves by which great tree they ate from, forming the great elven tribes. In the west, Lirranvil, Saethwyr, Grugach and Shamolin. In the East, Jessilai and Nairai. *'2000 B.S. (roughly)' The first halflings are sighted, they remain shy and hidden for a long period of time. Gnomes appear shortly after, but do not remain secretive and quickly form good relations with the dwarves. Due to the convenience of their appearance and their similaties between halflings and dwarves, many propose they may be a half-breed. The gnomes adamantly deny this, and speak of a great extra-planar journey, pointing towards Fey origins. *'1000 B.S. (roughy)' The Arani tribe flee from the Avarian steppe after horsemen crossed the sea from Zhakarev. They pass through Angarden where the ancient deity and continent-god Thastre, makes a deal with their queen, providing them with a demi-god heir. Ferrannon becomes the child-king of the Arani, who become known as the Ferranes. at 20 years of age, Ferrannon leads the Ferranes out of Angarden and into the massive fertile river-valley that becomes known as Ferranain. Druidic religion, modified from the old elven style to suit human sensibilities becomes the dominany philosophy *999 B.S. Thastre fathers the god of hunting and killing Haranis. Haranis learns of the existance of his older half-brother and attempts to kill him. Ferranon defeats Haranis and banishes him from Ferranain. Haranis takes many Ferranes as his followers (now called Haranites) and moves east to what is now called Ridahn, but was then given the name Haranain The Shattering Occurs. Careless and indiscriminate use of magic causes ripples throughout the fabric of the planes, allowing the location of the world to be easily determined. Rammak, a primordial being of Chaos decided that this world has gone on long enough and plane shifts from the Oceanic realm onto the Material. He swims towards the Great Isle with the intention of swallowing it. At that point a great blinding flash occurs, and the Isle is blasted in two and then pushed apart. The blinded Rammak hurtles through the gap without knowing what is going on, and then in the confusion is banished from the plane. The Synod Church and Haskellan Prelacy now teach that this happened thanks ot the temporary return of the Creator ATO. Other cultures teach that it was done by the combined efforts of all the gods. Either way, the effects of this cataclysm are profound. Life is never the same again. Anarchy and tribalism rules for a hundred years. for the next 200-400 years on average most cultures ritually hunt and kill arcane spellcasters in witch-hunts, hoping to prevent it ever from happening again. Sadly this is needless since the gods banded together to craft wards so that no amount of magic would reverberate into other planes again. Technology booms thanks to the newfound rejection of all magical solutions. *'75:' The Saregnian cities manage to regain a semblance of order. *'113: An Aralusian Prince named Kasar Alumbari unites the Aralusian tribes and brings order to post-cataclysm Haketa'Dan. In the absence of a true descendant of Ashur Ramma, Kasar is accepted as the first Ramma of the Alumbari Dynasty. The aralusians are no longer seen as barbarians by the Haketans. *'''150: The Sun-worshipping tribes of Relanter confederate and become one of the largest tribes on the island. *'176:' The first written record of an Arcane clan in Haranain. Arcane spellcasters had banded together and formed an isolationist magocratic society. Despite their fear of the Arcane Clans, magic shunning peoples could not defeat them and so simply ignored them. *'230:' The Sun-worshipping tribe becomes incredibly powerful due to its adoption of magic in warfare and its advanced system of organising and taxing its lands. *'235:' Saregnians begin a massive campaign to explore the new inner sea and establish trade and colonies. A new golden age built of trade rather than outright domination begins. *'240 (roughly):' Haranite tribes begin to trade with arcane clans, understanding between the two cultures grows. *'241:' Saregnian traders first make contact with Relian tribes. The Relian tribes view the more advanced Saregnians with great respect. *'311:' Relanter is united under the Sun-Worshippers. With no more major military goals they engage in a massive modernisation program, adopting saregnian technologies and sciences. Self-Glorification becomes a major cultural trait thanks to the end of hundreds of years of tribal warfare. *'312:' Sanhedrin appear the High Sun Priest of the Relians. They explain that they serve a creator called ATO who told them to maintain a balance between all things. The Relians see this revelation as a divine reward for unifying themselves and adopt the Sanhedrin Philosophy of Balance. The Synod Church is formed. *'315:' The Relanter Theocracy is formed as the tribal cheiftains willingly step aside and allow the church patriarchs to rule the govenrment. A plan is formed to conquer as many people as possible so as to teach them Synod Religion and bring balance. The Inner sea islands are quickly conquered and absorbed. Local inner sea religion dies out except amoung wandering sailors who can be safe from religious persecution. *'320:' The Patriarch of Relanter asks the Saregnian cities to convert to the Synod Philosophy. Since it meshes well with their existing outlook, many cities accept the offer and join the Theocracy. The Major Colonial Cities; Aeltar, Karnith and Pellatar refuse. *'329:' Pellatar is conquered by the Theocracy despite a strong military because of a lack of naval power. *'330 (roughly):' The Crossbow becomes common throughout the inner sea. Its early discovery allows it to eclipse the bow, which becomes seen as the weapon of savages and elves. No worn armour can withstand it so tower shields become more popular than worn armour. *'341:' Aeltar is finally conquered by the Relanter Theocracy. Karnith surrenders peacefully. *'340-450:' The Relanter theocracy conquers land at an incredible rate, forming a naval empire that spans hundreds of miles and thousands of tribes. *'348:' The coastline provinces of Haketa'Dan are taken by Relanter, but thanks to harsh desert the Haketans can only be reach by following the closely guarded Haka river. The Rammate survives and begins plotting how to retake the coast. *'461:' The first invasions into Haranain begin. The Relians call the region Ridahn. The Natives are easily defeated by the spell-casting legionaries of the theocracy. The first colonies are formed. *'464:' Due to a blatant disregard and misunderstanding of the local traditions, Mighty spirits arise in Ridahn and overthrow the Relian colonies. Titanic elementals and hordes of fey overrun the invaders. *'464-470:' Understanding that they need a magical force to combat Relanter, the Haranites make peace with the Arcane Clans, who serve a mercenary support. *'480:' After a decade of brutal fighting, the Relians manage to claim control of most of Ridahn. They establish autonomous noble houses rather than appointing governers. In doing so they appease the conventions and tradtions of the West, and avoid attacks from local spirits. *'485:' The Relanter Theocracy encounters the Verrixate of Ferranain. Upon discovering that the Ferranes believe in maintaining a balance of forces as well, an invitation to peacefully join the theocracy is extended. The Ferranes however, find both the idea of a single creator and submitting to a totalitarian foreign power abhorrent and flatly reject the offer. *'487:' A second offer is made to the druids. Realising that there would be no end to the invitations except with either submission or acceptance, the druids conclude that war is inevitable. They behead the messenger and deliver it back to relanter, where it was discovered to have been enchanted by the druids magic. the severed head spoke a message "Out of respect, my head and soul have been returned, but we have insulted the druids, and so they wish to insult us back." War is declared on Ferranain. *'490:' The Relanter Theocracy sends five legions into ferranain, expecting conquest to be somewhat easy since the ferranes are famously behind the inner sea regions technologically. However, this famous belief is proven wrong. The warriors fight with basic weapons but incredbily advanced seige engines are unleashed upon the legions. All of the clans of Ferranain fight as one under the declaration of a Furore by the Verrix. All five legions are utterly annihilated. not even a single survivor manages to return home with the news of defeat. *'501:' because no word had been recieved from the legions, scouts are sent into ferranain. when the defeat is discovered, all attempts to conquer Ferranain are called off. The Relians begin to see the Ferranes as a caricaturish race of murderous barbarians, this repuation spreads throughout the inner sea. Thanks to the loss of five whole legions at once, Relanter is severly weakened and several rebellions break out in the east, where cultural assimilation had been minimal. The Haketans, despite knowing nothing about the Ferranes see them as heroes and deliver a magical scimitar to the Verrix as a gift. *'578:' The Patriach of Ollima recieves a vision from the Sanhedrin, who express the belief that the Relanter theocracy is failing to maintain the balance. The Patriarch delivers this message to Relanter where there is a great amount of arguing and political scuffling. The empire becomes disorganised as internal argument riddles the council. *'579:' After a year of arguing, it is finally decided that since the empire was founded on religious inspiration, they must obey the wishes of their divine patrons. The theocracy is disbanded and secular government takes over in Relanter. Ollima becomes the new head-quarters of the church. *'579-590:' The noble houses of Ridahn are slowly replaced by native families. Ridahn secedes from Relanter as a province. *'599:' An Ex-Synod Priest from Leossar named Haskell begins preaching that the creator only asked balance to be maintained as a test, to see who had the bravery to stand up to the divine itself and serve only good. He teaches that ATO is actually good and only uses balance so as to make being good a choice rather than a command. This new altruistic and individualistic religion sweeps across Ridahn. The aggressive old Haranite cults had been unpopular for years, and they are quickly swept away. *'800 (roughly):' Platemail becomes a common item. It is only used by knights and shock troopers as crossbows are still relatively effective against it and it is difficult to produce. Most soldiers still only wear a gambeson or studded leather coat with a tower-shield. *'1143:' The City of Port Saider descends into civil war as the White Rats theives guild, with the help of the Silver Symbol Arcane clan attempt to stage a coup,Thanks to a small party of heroes the attempt fails and both organisations are outlawed. In the city of Amrijik in Mayhadrada, the royal family line dies out and the ghosts of the elders must be consulted. A team of adventurers named "the Long Fangs" discover a beggar woman named Sophia is the new queen. A few days later however a dragon attacks the city and carries off the Long Fangs, who are not seen again. *'1144:' Current Year.